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Post new topic Playing Strums With My Gibson EH-185 10 String Steel
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Author Topic:  Playing Strums With My Gibson EH-185 10 String Steel
C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 18 Sep 2018 7:57 am    
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Decided to play my Gibson EH-185 10 string today. I tuned it as follows :
H-L: E C# A F# E C# A F# E A

This tuning allows me to use base strums as used by Leon McAullife when
he plays Panhandle Rag. Does anyone else like to use base strums in
various songs?

LEON PLAYING PANHANDLE RAG

INFORMATION ON MY GIBSON EH-185
GIBSON EH-185 (v.1a) 10 STRING C.C. pu: c. 1940


Mr. Donald Costen, Ridgeway, PA, was the original owner of this 10-string EH-185, which was made to his
order. Mr. Costen wrote that one of his tunings was (high to low) E-B-G#-F#-D-B-E-C#-B-E, and that the
1st and 7th string E had the same pitch (I have his written note that came with the steel). This model has
a U-magnet pickup and the Hyblum metal insert is glossy black. The instrument was shipped by Gibson with
two different nuts for tunings with string gauges specified by Mr. Costen

C. E. Jackson Smile
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Bill Groner


From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2018 9:01 am    
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CE.......that is a beautiful instrument.....Is Mr. Costen still playing?

I just googled Mr. Donald Costen from Ridgeway, PA. Said in 1940 Census he was 21. I guess at 99 he is not playing lap steel.
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 18 Sep 2018 9:28 am    
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Bill, thanks for your comment. I don't believe that Mr. Costen is still
living. I purchased the instrument from Gruhn Guitars in in 2004, and
my understanding at that time was that it came from an estate sale.

C. E. Jackson Smile
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 21 Sep 2018 10:13 am    
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Bill, it might be of interest that Gibson records indicate only 4 of these 10 string instruments
were shipped....and that at least one ten-string EH-185 was done in blonde.

Here is information on the blonde. I made an attempt to purchase this instrument, but the
French owner and I could not agree on a sale price.

10 STRING GIBSON EH-185 BLONDE C.C. pu

C. E. Jackson Smile
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